Maria told the Telegraph that the product helped with her scarring so much that Pro-Sil became her sponsor for the competition.

She added: “Having my scar there shows me how brave I once was and how strong I had to be.

“It saved my life and I’m still happy and healthy today.

“It’s beautiful to me, and when I heard about the competition I thought great - this is my opportunity to build my confidence back up and to show young girls that not everyone is perfect and everyone has a story, so stop judging people by their looks, because you don’t know what that person has been through.”

Maria Gardner from Coventry (centre) was crowned Miss Birmingham 2016 and will now appear at the Miss England finals in July